Relationships

Signs of a Healthy Relationship

Healthy relationships are a partnership where responsibilities & chores are shared but each person is able to make decisions for themselves. Healthy relationships involve economic equality where decisions about work, school, and money are made together. Healthy relationships involve sexual respect where partners try to please each other and respect when one partner doesn't want to engage in sexual activities. Healthy relationships make each person feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves without fear of violence. Healthy relationships involve mutual trust & support where partners' value each others opinions. Healthy relationships are built on a friendship that continues to grow and develop over time. Healthy relationships involve enjoyment while spending time together and time apart.

Characteristics of a Healthy Relationship

RESPECT

Learning about the other person and valuing what is important to them

Having the choice about whether to be sexually active and if so, at what pace and level

HONESTY

Openly and honestly talking about each others' sexual desires and fears

TRUST

Being able to count on your partner will be there for you when you need them

Understanding that promises should never be taken lightly

COMMUNICATION

Listening and trying to hear each others needs and wants

Talking about what level of sexual activity you're both comfortable with BEFORE engaging in any sexual activities

Red Flags

Unhealthy relationships often leave us feeling uncomfortable, sad and afraid. It’s hard to admit when someone isn’t treating us well or respectful, especially when that person is a lover. This doesn't mean if someone treats you badly or you have a disagreement that the relationship is automatically unhealthy. Disagreements happen in healthy relationships all the time. What makes a relationship healthy is being able to compromise when disagreements occur.

Signs of an unhealthy relationship include:

One partner needing to control the other

Focusing all your energy on your partner

Trying to change yourself or your partner to be what you want them to be

Dropping friends and family or activities you enjoy

Having one partner makes all the decisions

One partner yells, hits, or throws things at the other during arguments

Having more bad times in the relationship than good

What is Abuse?

Emotional ABUSE

Any behavior by one partner that decreases their partners' self-esteem and leaves them feeling out of control.

Emotionally abusive relationship typically involve both good and bad times.

Emotional abuse usually creeps into the relationship gradually.

Physical ABUSE

Physical force or violence that results in bodily injury, pain, or impairment.

Includes assault, intentional touching or someone against their will, or inappropriate restraint.

Sexual ABUSE

Any form of non-consensual physical contact.

Includes rape, molestation, or any sexual conduct with a person who lacks the mental capacity to give consent.

Psychological ABUSE

Willful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, or other verbal or non-verbal conduct.

What is Domestic Violence?

An escalating pattern of violence or intimidation by an intimate partner, which is used to gain power and control.

It can include other forms of mistreatment and cruelty such as constant threatening as well as psychological, emotional, sexual, financial, spiritual, or verbal abuse.

Nearly 37% of female patients treated in the Emergency Room for a violent injury have been abused by an intimate partner.

Staying in an unhealthy relationship will eventually ruin your self-esteem/self worth and the longer you stay the more damage it will do. Ending an unhealthy relationship starts with admitting that the relationship is dysfunctional. Once you’ve admitted it, talk to someone about how to leave the relationship.